Accommodations

The Office of Disability Services serves all students with disabilities, including physical, chronic health, psychological, and learning disabilities. Upon acceptance to the Law Center, J.D. and L.L.M. students with disabilities may request accommodations. Students seeking accommodations are responsible for identifying themselves to the Office of Disability Services and making their request in sufficient time to allow for coordination of services.

To request accommodations:

1. Contact the Director of Disability Services.
2. Submit appropriate documentation - Students will be asked to provide appropriate and current documentation of disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. You may hand-deliver, scan and email, mail, or fax any necessary documents to the Office of Disability Services.  Students may be asked to provide additional documentation and with appropriate consent, the Office of Disability Services reserves the right to contact the evaluator for further clarification.
3. Meet with the Director of Disability Services - After reviewing your documentation and consulting diagnosticians (when necessary and with your approval), the Director will contact you for an in-person meeting to discuss your request and accommodations.

Appeals of Accommodation Decisions

A student who disagrees with or seeks clarification of any decision of the Director of Disability Services regarding reasonable accommodations may, within one week of receiving written or oral notice of the decision, request an informal meeting with the Director and the Dean of Students. That informal meeting will be scheduled as soon as possible and preferably within ten days of the student's request.

As soon as possible and preferably within one week of the informal meeting, the Director will notify the student in writing of any changes to the decision.

If, thereafter, the student disagrees with the latest written decision of the Director, within one week of receiving notice of the decision (s)he may appeal the decision in writing to the Law Center's Associate Dean for the relevant academic program. The written appeal to the Associate Dean should state in detail the basis for the appeal and include all relevant documentation in support of the appeal. The Director and Dean of Students also will provide to the Associate Dean any documentation or other information pertinent to the disputed decision. Additionally, upon request, the Director and Dean of Students will provide a written summary of communication with the student. The Associate Dean will review the written appeal, supporting documentation, and latest decision of the Director, and then meet with the student. The Associate Dean also may review any additional information (s)he deems relevant to the appeal. The Associate Dean will then render a written decision to the student as soon as possible, preferably within two weeks of receiving the written appeal. The decision of the Associate Dean regarding reasonable accommodation is final.

The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action ("IDEAA") reviews alleged violations of the University's Non Discrimination in Education Policy, including allegations of unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability.  The University encourages any victim of unlawful discrimination and harassment to report the incident and seek redress through IDEAA's Grievance Procedures, if he or she is unable to resolve it satisfactorily and completely through informal means. 

The following person has been designated to coordinate Georgetown University's compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:

Rosemary E. Kilkenny
Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity
Georgetown University
M-36 Darnall Hall
37th & O Streets NW
Washington, DC 20057
Phone: (202) 687-4798
Fax: (202) 687-7778

Accommodations for Journal Write-On

First-year and transfer students seeking membership to a journal must participate in the Write-On competition. Students requiring accessible text materials should contact the Office of Disability Services one month in advance of the competition's start date to ensure that materials are converted and provided in a timely manner.

Accommodations for Special Events and Programs

If students require accommodations for events or meetings held at the Law Center (i.e. use of a translator, wheelchair, etc.), students should contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible to ensure that requests can be accommodated.

Testing

Georgetown University does not provide testing for students with learning disabilities, but does act as a referral source for testing services in the D.C. area. Please contact the Director of Disabilities Services for a referral list. If students have the Student Health Insurance Premier Plan, insurance will cover $750 of the cost of a psychoeducational evaluation with a referral.